Chapter Twenty-Eight: When Trouble Arises, Let the Tool Step Forward

Ouyang Ke fell silent for a moment. He knew, of course, that things could not be so simple—the other party was likely harboring ill intentions toward him. Besides that, Ouyang Ke felt a twinge of fear; he had never expected that, by randomly picking someone to rob, he would end up targeting a cultivator. It was precisely as the saying goes: what one fears most always comes to pass. Fortunately, the other party wanted to make use of him, which was why he had not acted yet.

Given the circumstances, Ouyang Ke resolved to play along. No matter what unreasonable demands were made, it would be unwise to make an enemy now. He recognized a harsh reality: this world was full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers—even among mortals, cultivators were not lacking. Even a lowly courtesan turned out to be a practitioner, though her abilities were unimpressive.

Ouyang Ke asked, “Brother, pray tell, what sort of partnership do you propose?”

Su Ji’an replied in a gentle tone, “In this world, cultivators vie for supremacy, sects plot against one another; such schemes are enacted ceaselessly, all for the sake of seizing cultivation resources.”

“You wish to tread the path of immortality—I can help you. But the immortal path is not just about mastering techniques; it demands endless resources for cultivation. One must climb over countless corpses to rise higher. The Treasure Pavilion in this city is our starting point. The question is: do you have the courage?”

Ouyang Ke asked with a trace of anticipation, “Brother, please elaborate. As for courage, I have never been lacking.”

“It seems I have not misjudged you!” Su Ji’an was indifferent to Ouyang Ke’s attitude, whether he was being perfunctory or scheming. The proposal he was about to make would leave no room for refusal.

He glanced around once more, ensuring nothing was amiss, then lowered his voice. “Brother, I will not linger long in Lingshou City. I originally planned to plunder the Treasure Pavilion before leaving, but my identity makes things complicated, so I have hesitated. When I saw you earlier, your bearing immediately caught my eye. The most crucial thing was your decisive action in killing; such temperament is perfect for this undertaking!”

Ouyang Ke sighed suddenly. “Even you are wary of the Treasure Pavilion—it must be formidable. I am but a mortal now; I fear I may be of little help unless… you teach me the ways of cultivation, so that I might have the strength to rob the Treasure Pavilion.”

Su Ji’an laughed. “The immortal path is not mastered in a day, but I will teach you methods to deal with the Treasure Pavilion. Once the deed is done, we will split the spoils seventy-thirty. With those cultivation resources, and your aptitude, you are bound for greatness.”

He thought to himself that Ouyang Ke ought to burn more incense to the gods, for he would hardly get such easy money elsewhere.

Su Ji’an had long been tempted to rob the Treasure Pavilion. Its strength was formidable—even the righteous alliance deferred to it. Acting alone would be unwise; this was not something one could escape simply by changing appearance. Those with extraordinary powers were endlessly resourceful and difficult to deal with. If he were targeted, it would be suicide. Thus, it was better to let a pawn do the work.

Ouyang Ke was somewhat tempted. “Brother, please instruct me.”

Although he knew he was being used, if it brought him benefit, he saw no harm in it. He had come to terms with his identity—not the young master of White Camel Mountain Manor, but a nameless wanderer in this world.

“In the Treasure Pavilion among mortals, the strongest cultivator is only at the Nascent Soul stage,” Su Ji’an said, producing several specially crafted Celestial Star Thunder bombs and two Breath Concealing Talismans. For safety, he also gave him several ordinary Celestial Star Thunders, and explained their use in detail.

He did not give Ouyang Ke too many—lest he create trouble for himself. The other party might well be tempted to take everything for himself; Ouyang Ke’s moral boundaries were highly flexible—such actions would be no surprise. But, given that players could not harm him in any way, Su Ji’an was confident in using Ouyang Ke.

He needed to make his first fortune, and extraordinary times called for extraordinary means. The two Breath Concealing Talismans were given so Ouyang Ke could infiltrate the City Lord’s mansion. Su Ji’an was certain Ouyang Ke’s cleverness would not miss this.

Ouyang Ke’s eyes gleamed. “Brother, you mean to give me thirty percent?”

He certainly did not expect Su Ji’an to give him the larger share.

Su Ji’an nodded slightly. “Are you dissatisfied with this arrangement, brother?”

Ouyang Ke kept his composure. “This is our first collaboration; let it be as you say. But in truth, I am taking the greater risk. We are both indispensable; I hope next time you will reconsider the terms.”

He knew he had no room for negotiation, nor was he Su Ji’an’s only option, but bargaining was the expected response—otherwise, Su Ji’an might grow suspicious.

The next moment, they exchanged smiles, having reached an understanding.

Su Ji’an said cheerfully, “Now I’ll await your good news, brother. With us working together, I believe we’ll grow strong. In the future, the cultivation world will surely have a place for you.”

The promises were made—now it remained to see what Ouyang Ke would do.

Ouyang Ke asked, “Brother, after it’s done, how should I contact you?”

“I will reach out to you myself. Before that, I’ll help you formally embark on the immortal path. Otherwise, even collecting the gains from the Treasure Pavilion would be difficult,” Su Ji’an replied, producing several low-grade pills and gesturing for him to take them.

Ouyang Ke’s talent was decent, and he had a foundation in martial arts. Achieving the first level of Qi Refining within a short time was not difficult.

An hour later.

Ouyang Ke successfully reached the first level of Qi Refining. Feeling the spiritual power in his Purple Mansion—a force utterly unlike his inner strength, yet vastly superior—his ambitions soared.

Su Ji’an did not linger, vanishing swiftly.

He had paved the way for Ouyang Ke; now it remained to see whether Ouyang Ke would prove useful.

If Ouyang Ke dutifully completed the task, he could defy fate upon returning to his original world. Otherwise, he would most likely die in a foreign land.

……

Ouyang Ke said nothing, his gaze heavy. Between him and Su Ji’an, it was merely a relationship of mutual exploitation.

Yet, with his current weakness and rootlessness in this world, he would have to rely on Su Ji’an—not only avoiding conflict, but actively currying favor.

His present forbearance was only for future revenge!

Besides, he had not forgotten the reason he was sent to this world.

He wanted immortal fortune… and he would stop at nothing to claim the rewards of his mission!

When the time came to return to his original world, the so-called Four Great Masters would all be trampled beneath his feet.